Improve launches online training resource
Food and drink sector skills council Improve has launched an online hub for its National Skills Academy for Food and Drink Manufacturing.
The service includes a specially designed tool to help access funding for training courses. It also offers a wealth of information about training and diagnostic tools to help identify a company’s skills needs. From September, there will be a selection of courses to buy through the website.
“Employers can now access the sector’s most comprehensive library of information on training simply by logging on to the skills academy website,” said Jack Matthews, Improve chief executive. “In the past it’s been a real headache for employers to locate funds that they’re eligible for. The Skills Academy site takes all the hassle out of searching - after just 10 minutes, an employer will find numerous opportunities to claim training cash.”
The launch follows the announcement of a major reform of qualifications for the food and drink industry in England, driven by Improve.
Courses are expected to be available that will lead to qualifications at Level 2, the equivalent of five good GCSEs, and at Level 3, the equivalent of two A-levels.
The qualifications, which are awarded by City & Guilds, have mandatory core units, which can then be built upon with different modules. At each level, students can initially gain an award in Food Manufacture, which can be expanded into a certificate and eventually into a diploma.
The additional units can be selected from a menu including different functions of manufacturing, such as technology, or different sectors, such as dairy or bakery.
The plan is that companies will be able to obtain funding for the Level 2 qualifications through the government’s Train to Gain initiative.
